


Four Times Lex and Chloe (Kala Jor-El) Fought and One Time They Kissed Instead

by legendarytobes



Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-30
Updated: 2015-03-30
Packaged: 2018-03-20 08:15:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3643140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legendarytobes/pseuds/legendarytobes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in my Impetus Verse where Chloe's the Kryptonian, Clark's the meteor mutant, and Lex is closer to Chloe than usual. Five looks at times Chloe and Lex's verbal judo should or did end in a kiss.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Times Lex and Chloe (Kala Jor-El) Fought and One Time They Kissed Instead

**Author's Note:**

> For purple_moon123 of livejournal who is amazing.

I. Rosetta

Lex eyed Chloe at her desk. It was impossible that she didn't know he was there. She was an eagle-eyed reporter and, of course, there was something else there. The same reason that she was drawn to the caves or that a courier had been at Smallville Medical Center with a letter from the world's most famous recluse.

All for her.

"You know, there are laws against staring at sixteen year old girls, Lex."

He grinned and strolled into the room. "It's not like that, Sullivan. It's always been my father who's tastes ran barely legal. There's no challenge in that."

She snorted and looked up at him, green eyes bright. "As if twenty-two is that old. What do you want?"

"How was New York?"

Her eyes narrowed at him and she stopped typing. "I don't understand."

"I have my sources, Sullivan, don't be modest. You did get to visit Dr. Swann. I was just curious why."

She sighed and shook her head. "That same curiosity about me and the caves. Lex, there's nothing there."

"And what do you want me to do? I pretend that I didn't find you passed out on the pavement in Granville, and I try to ignore that you're different."

"So I'm a meteor freak, I see what you're angling for. You're not at all right and you know it."

He stroked his chin and regarded her. Lex wished that she cowed to him the same way that most of his underlings did. Even Clark knew when to back down overall. Not Chloe. It was entoxicating but also frustrating, and he wasn't sure if he'd like her as much if she was as easily manipulated as most people. 

"Then this is what I do know---the most famous investigator of alien life is obsessed with you. You're always at the scene of a mutant crime and saving someone more often than not. Why do we dance around all of this?"

"Because there's no such thing as little green men."

"Are there women?"

Chloe stood up and grabbed her backpack. "You're right, it's definitely creepy to be scoping out high school girls, Lex, and it doesn't suit you."

Reaching out her grabbed her shoulder and for just an instant, he swore her eyes were red like flames. "Chloe just be honest with me."

"I'm giving you all I can and the answer is I'm just me and that's all you get."  
**  
II. Extinction

"I'm so sorry," Chloe effused, holding out another ice pack for him.

Lex took it but still stared harshly at her. She'd kept files on him and never told him. He wasn't one to throw stones, but his records on her until she'd come clean to him about her origins at his ill-fated wedding to Helen were always kept air tight, sealed where only he could find them. She'd kept hers on a hard drive at Smallville High and made it possible for Van McNulty to find him. But that wasn't what he resented, not really. It was himself, the proof that he was a freak, all the patterns about his miraculous survivals that even Chloe's intervention couldn't explain. After all, he'd survived a plane crash over the Pacific and months of malaria. Not everything could be written off to an alien savior, especially his white blood cell count.

Ruefully, he rubbed his scalp. He'd been a freak since he was nine years old, but he'd lied to himself until Van's bullet had almost pierced him. He'd at least believed he was human. But he wasn't quite that anymore and Chloe's planet was to blame.

"Do you want me to give you a benediction, Kala?"

She dropped the ice pack, her eyes red again. "Don't. I'm not her, Lex. I'm never going to be her. After everything this summer, Jor-El can go to Hell."

"Well you're not just Chloe Sullivan anymore than I'm just your average tycoon's heir, if there is such a thing."

Arching an eyebrow at him, she laughed a little. "I suppose there's not an average way to be rich. At least you're not a Hilton. I mean it. I'm sorry. No one was ever supposed to see those notes. How do you think I feel? People are dead because of me."

"No, they're dead because Van McNulty is a psychopath. You didn't...you should have been careful, Chloe. If you continue keeping records on the infected, then you have to let me up the safeguards on your computers. Never again will I have people coming after me for this."

"Wait? You're not going to tell me to stop keeping the records? Clark lectured me for hours and then Daddy too," she frowned and sat down next to him and Lex desperately wanted to take her hand. But he couldn't, couldn't let her think that he condoned her sloppiness.

"I noticed Pete's not on that list."

"I don't think he minded much what Van did. The extreme part, yes, but I think he wishes the mutants were all in Belle Reve if you want to know the truth."

"I'm not surprised. I guess it would be easier for the normal folks if I were out of the way."

"There's nothing wrong with you, I'm probably wrong."

"And I know my father took me to specialists monthly for years as a kid. I got my own records from that and my white blood cell work...it's far from human."

"Mutant," she replied, tone bitter. "You at least started out like everyone else."

"You put me in the crosshairs by being sloppy, Chloe, I'll never forgive you for that."

"Cause Luthors aren't sloppy?"

"I have enough to worry about without people targeting for my difference, but at least I have an alien body guard. So I suppose it evens out." The words were cutting and he'd intended it, was almost gratified by the way Chloe curled in on herself.

"I never expected to come back from blowing up my ship, and I certainly didn't want to be found in Metropolis, not drugged out on Red K."

"And I care?"

"Because we're friends. You and Clark and I...it's so messed up, but we're still friends together. I'll never let anyone hurt you again, especially me."

"How noble," he mused, channeling his father's coldness.

"But don't do that, don't throw my origins in my face."

"You broadcasted my differences for every psycho out there by keeping crappy records. I don't understand why I can't be grateful at least your powers saved my ass."

She stood and started to pace, picking up a speed that made her blur to his eyes. "I want you to help me research the Kawatche more, figure out more about the other temples, how to stop Jor-El if he ever gets out of the caves. We agreed to be partners. You've only been back in town two weeks and I don't know what that means but don't make us about what I am."

"Don't make it about what I am or what I'm not," he countered.

She stopped and her eyes were wide with tears. "If all you see when you look at me is 'Kala Jor-El,' is the alien, then I don't want to be with your friend, ever."

He stood and forced himself to pour some Scotch; Lex needed something to do with his hands. "I don't know what I see some days, but that applies to me too, now. I tried to avoid what I was for so long and now I can't. I hope your happy."

She shook her head and her words wavered as she spoke, "I'm never happy." And with a blur she was gone.  
**

III. Freak

"You tell her everything and you tell her now, Lex."

He looked up at Chloe from his shot glass and snorted. "Great to see you too, Sullivan. You know the thing about us no longer dating? I don't have to let you in my study."

"You can't keep me out."

"I can get the Kryptonite, that's not a problem," he said and then looked away. He'd had to use it a few times on her because she was no stranger to magic or mind rapes. It had eaten through his soul or what was left of it every time he saw her veins go black with the green rock at her throat. "You don't belong here. I have a new family."

Chloe's eyes were russet and she set the fireplace alight for effect. Lex didn't even startle. He'd known he secret for almost four years, had suffered for it. She could no longer scare him, not after leaving him to Brainiac's lies and tortures.

Her choice, not his.

Her lies driving them apart, never his.

"She took Clark."

"I didn't know that Lana had started funding her own experiments. I had no idea she sent someone to study Clark." The next part came out before he could rein it in. "What does Clark do?"

Chloe shot another blast to to the fire place. "That's none of your business and certainly not your wife's. I burned a goddamn tracking chip out of my best friend to save his life. I...she stays out of our business and we'll stay out of yours."

"And yet, you're here," he said, standing up and glaring at her. "That's not fair but you always make the rules don't you?"

"You have to tell her. She's doing this because she's nervous about her pregnancy, knows it's not typical or else she'd be showing by now. You can't see specialists every week and not be suspicious. You might care about Elizabeth and Lana, but don't put them and your secrets above Clark's life."

"Lana wasn't going to kill him."

"You tell her about your mutation and the baby or I will."

He shook his head and wished he had a way to temper her, just once. "I can't."

"Maybe it's stupid, but my dad always says that if someone can't accept me for exactly what I am then they're not worth my time. Pete pretty much proved that theory."

"Lana loves me."

"Lana doesn't know all of you," she countered, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Lex walked over to her and leaned in. It would be so easy to kiss her then, to submit to the passion that had bound them for almost two years in this very mansion. He knew every inch of Chloe's skin, after all. "I'm not just my abilities any more than you are."

"But you're still lying to her. How well did that work for us?"

"Terribly," he whispered. "I can't let her leave me. Chloe, I'll help her deal with her mutant phobias. I'll get my staff on dismantling her projects, but don't make me tell her what I'm not."

Chloe reached out and stroked his cheek and for just a moment, he could pretend it was two years ago and they were in the honeymoon stage of being lovers. "You're a coward, Lex. That's what you are," Chloe finished and with that, she walked out.

At least he wasn't sped off on this time  
**  
IV. Arctic

"You can't do this, Lex."

He paused and felt the orb heavy in his hand, the purple light pulsating. "I don't want to."

"Then don't," she said, her voice plaintive and those damn green eyes were looking back up at him, brimming with tears. "Why does it have to end this way?"

"You can't deny how dangerous everything is with you, with the Phantoms and then with Brainiac all over again, what he did to Lana. Maybe this was always where we were headed, that the destiny was for me to stop you."

"I don't believe that." She was crying then and he wanted for anything else then, for him not to be the sole heir to Veritas after Lionel's extremely suspicious accident that he was sure could be traced back to Oliver Queen. "Please, if you use that...no one knows what could happen. You could make me Kala forever or you could make me your puppet."

"Krypton and all the rest of it is too dangerous. Chloe, I don't want to do this but you asked me to be the one long ago. It's what you wanted once."

"I was young and scared, but I'm not a threat anymore."

"And what if we're both wrong," he said, shoving the orb into the console before even she could stop him. Then all that was left was the Fortress shattering down around them.  
**  
II. Engagement

"Lex!" she enthused and something wasn't right.

Okay, that was a massive understatement. He'd been scared by Brainiac's return and all the pressures that Veritas expected of him, of the Kryptonians as a whole and what Chloe could be capable of. He'd betrayed her first, even if he hadn't wanted to. Then he'd spent the better part of a year fighting back from amnesia and being stranded in the middle of the South Pacific all over again. How he'd gotten beamed there from the Arctic, he'd never know, although he suspected that Jor-El had done it in a fit of pique.

Still, things felt off. 

"So why is the barn decked out for a party? And since when is Clark engaged?"

Chloe's smile faltered and it all tore into him, everything that had come between them. Of course, he was glad that when he'd walked into the loft, trying to track down Clark to find Chloe, that she'd not just pummeled him. It didn't explain why Clark was currently smiling broadly at him as if the last time any of them had seen Lex he hadn't been trying to control Chloe nee Kala. The fact that he was celebrating an engagement to a random girl from Lana's ISIS foundation was more confusing still. Like Lex, Clark had only had eyes for a certain reporter.

"Come with me to the kitchen."

"Seriously, where's Martha?"

"She's in a meeting in London and couldn't make it back. Emergency sentorial duties. Besides, I could ask the same thing about you," she said, her lips set into a grim line. "How dare you come back here after what you tried."

"I'm sorry---" he started but Clark and his fiance had come up to him, both of them smiling Stepford smiles.

"Lex, it's been a long time!" Clark enthused and hugged him. 

Lex blinked over the other man's shoulder at Chloe. Clark hadn't hugged him since before his wedding to Helen, and the kiss between him and Chloe that had ruined everything in their fragile three-way alliance. He certainly shouldn't be that excited to see him after all Lex's other sins. 

"Clark, I...congratulations."

"I know, Kelly's great!" his friend exclaimed, reminding him of an oversized puppy more than anything else.

The blonde nodded up at him and, despite his confusion, Lex took her hand and kissed it. "Charmed, Miss?"

"Cassidy. Kelly Cassidy," she added.

"I...this seems sudden."

"Well we have been working together at ISIS for seven months and it alll just sort of happened. Chloe's even helping me prep the wedding stuff, using her reporter connections to get us something on discount next month."

Lex must have been beamed into the Twilight Zone that was clearly the only answer. "Uh, great. Chloe? Can you come with me?" he asked, grabbing her by the shoulder and humored when she followed him to the kitchen. Once she was seated at the island, he started to pace. "What the Hell did you do to Clark?"

"A lot's happened while you were gone. Where were you? Tess Mercer's running Luthor Corp and she's been looking all over for you."

"I've been all over too, but mostly in Indonesia. The Fortress sent me to a deserted island. I've had to claw my way out all over again."

She smiled and it was genuine. "The tan suits you."

"You should be furious with me. I wanted to see you, to apologize because I know I did it wrong, never should have listened to the Teagues."

"And you're right. Everything I touch turns to crap. Lana took off to God knows where after I stopped Brainiac and she won't talk to me. Clark...he got infected by Brainiac but it came out wrong, mixed with his ability and then it started eating through his memories. Kara helped me rebuild the Fortress."

"Glad my exile was for nothing."

"No, you were right, Lex. I ruin everything I touch. Lana lost Elizabeth because you're not normal, because my planet ruined you. Then Lana was in horrible pain for months because of Brainiac. Clark almost lost his whole mind."

"What did you do, Chloe?" She was crying then and he couldn't help himself, just gathered her in his arms and let her sob. "Chloe, I have to know."

"Clark only kept getting into trouble because of me, because he knew my secret and kept trying to help. I talked to Jor-El when he fixed Clark's mind and asked a favor."

Lex swallowed and forced his stomach to remain still. "You took his memory of your secret, didn't you?"

She nodded and pulled away, swiping furiously at her cheeks. "It worked, you know? Without them, he's happy. He met Kelly and they're happy."

"Say happy again, Sullivan so we can believe it. You lobotimized him."

"I just wanted him to be happy and safe. I need to do this alone, no one can know."

Lex considered that and regarded her coolly. "Would you take my memories? Will you take me to Jor-El and demand he do the same. I'm a danger to you and we both know it. I proved as much."

"And you were right. Nothing but destruction follows me."

"And yet 'The Blur' is making herself known around Metropolis. I don't think you're bad at all, Chloe. But how could you. He's Clark."

"He's still him, just with modifications. He doesn't remember the alien crap or about his own mutation. The infection burned it out. He thinks he just started at ISIS as a favor to Lana and that's all he needs to know."

Lex swore under his breath. "You stole his life, his memories. You've been there, you know they make us who we are. I had a spell for a few months on the island where I could barely remember anything. It's why it took so long to get home. I repeat: you lobotomized him."

"And Clark before that was miserable. He'd lost his job, was scared to death of the mutation and his real mother's madness. I gave him something good. I protected him from me."

"So you'll protect me too?"

"I probably couldn't. You're mutation is different than his, protects you so thoroughly from harm. His was always about empathy."

Lex shook his head and started to pace. "You thought about it though, if I ever did come back?"

"Not because I worry about you as an enemy, not anymore. Just because I...I wanted everyone safe from me. That's all."

He stopped and leaned over, stroking her hair back from her shoulder. It was long now and so soft and golden. He loved it like this, and it reminded him of that long summer before she started college where they'd made love at only the pace that an alien and a mutant with inhuman stamina could have. Suddenly her hot breath on his neck was almost too much to bear.

"Would you erase me, really?"

"You both would be better off if you never met me."

"So Martha agreed with this?"

"She was scared for all his fear over his birth mom too. I...he's not really Clark anymore, no, but he's happy and that's what I owe him for ruining his life on a loop."

"And what do you owe me?"

"I don't know anymore, Lex. We were friends and lovers and enemies and now what the Hell are we?"

He took his chance, tired of everything never fitting, not since Brainiac first came and made an experiment of him, forced Zod to overtake his mind and soul. Leaning down, he kissed her long and hard, enjoying the flush to her cheeks when he pulled back.

"I don't know, but I'd like to find out. But first, you have to fix Clark. This isn't right."

The tears returned and Chloe was shaking before him. "It wasn't right for him not to remember even Martha's damn name, to see him scared and helpless. I can't let that happen to him. Goddamn it, last spring he was on a ventilator too because of me. I can't lose him."

"Looks like you already have."

"I..." then there were screams from the barn and both of them were running, back once more into the fray, but maybe something new starting between them


End file.
